TY - JOUR
T1 - Using a theory-driven conceptual framework in qualitative health research
AU - MacFarlane, Anne
AU - O'Reilly-De Brún, Mary
PY - 2012/5
Y1 - 2012/5
N2 - The role and merits of highly inductive research designs in qualitative health research are well established, and there has been a powerful proliferation of grounded theory method in the field. However, tight qualitative research designs informed by social theory can be useful to sensitize researchers to concepts and processes that they might not necessarily identify through inductive processes. In this article, we provide a reflexive account of our experience of using a theory-driven conceptual framework, the Normalization Process Model, in a qualitative evaluation of general practitioners' uptake of a free, pilot, language interpreting service in the Republic of Ireland. We reflect on our decisions about whether or not to use the Model, and describe our actual use of it to inform research questions, sampling, coding, and data analysis. We conclude with reflections on the added value that the Model and tight design brought to our research.
AB - The role and merits of highly inductive research designs in qualitative health research are well established, and there has been a powerful proliferation of grounded theory method in the field. However, tight qualitative research designs informed by social theory can be useful to sensitize researchers to concepts and processes that they might not necessarily identify through inductive processes. In this article, we provide a reflexive account of our experience of using a theory-driven conceptual framework, the Normalization Process Model, in a qualitative evaluation of general practitioners' uptake of a free, pilot, language interpreting service in the Republic of Ireland. We reflect on our decisions about whether or not to use the Model, and describe our actual use of it to inform research questions, sampling, coding, and data analysis. We conclude with reflections on the added value that the Model and tight design brought to our research.
KW - coding
KW - immigrants/migrants
KW - qualitative analysis
KW - reflexivity
KW - research design
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84859124556&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1049732311431898
DO - 10.1177/1049732311431898
M3 - Article
C2 - 22203386
AN - SCOPUS:84859124556
SN - 1049-7323
VL - 22
SP - 607
EP - 618
JO - Qualitative Health Research
JF - Qualitative Health Research
IS - 5
ER -